Device for chilling the interiors of drinking glasses



Feb. 23, 1965 G. J. FEDERIGHI ETAL 3,

DEVICE FOR CHILLING THE INTERIORS OF DRINKING GLASSES Filed Sept. 18, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS GEORGE J. FEDERIGHI WI L LIAMECUZENS ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1965 a. J. FEDERlGHl ETAL 3,170,309

DEVICE FOR CHILLING THE INTERIORS OF DRINKING GLASSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1961 ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1965 ca. J. FEDERIGHX' ETAL ,1

DEVICE FOR CHILLING THE INTERIORS OF DRINKING GLASSES Filed Sept. 18, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet .5

INVENTORS GEORGE J. FEDERIGHI WI I LIAMECUZENS ATTORNEYS top removed;

. 3,170,309 DEVHCE FGR Qll-HLLENG THE INTERKORS GE DRENKING GLASSES George Joseph Federighi and William F. Cuzens, San

Francisco, Caiifi, assignors to (Ihill Master Corporation, San Francisco, (Ialifi, a corporation of Galifornia Filed Sept. 18, N61, Ser. No. 138,822

7 Claims. (Cl. 62-458) The present invention relates to improvements in a device for chillingdrinking glasses and the like and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

United States Patent An object of our invention is to provide a device in which chilled =air (preferably air that is at a temperature below freezing) is directed into the interior of an inverted drinking glass that is resting on a base, the air in the glass interior being withdrawn at the same time so that the chilled air will strike the inner surface of the glass and chill it. The chilling'of the glass can be quickly accomplished after which the glass may be removed. We prefer to use a refrigeration coil and fins and to force air past the coil andfins for lowering theair temperature to below freezing and then injecting this chilled air into the interior of the drinking glass for quickly chilling it. p

A modified form of our invention makes use of Dry Ice and/or ice cubes placed in a removable perforated drawer so that the air can-be chilled bycausing it to flow past the Dry Ice and/ or ice cubes and then be directed into the glass interiors for chilling them.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described in which an upstanding flange encloses the base on which the inverteddri'nking glasses rest 'and the flange and base form a reservoir lor receiving chilled air that surrounds the outer surfaces of portions of the inverted glasses and keeps the warmer atmospheric air from contacting these chilled surfaces and depositing water vapor thereon which would condense first into a liquid and then form a layer of ice or frost. The height of the flange above the base determines how much otthe glass exterior will be surrounded bythe chilled air.' Inactual practice, the portion of the stem of the glass that is usually grasped by thehand, ;will

project above the top of the flange and will notv be surrounded by the chilled air in the reservoir. Since the stem is not hollow, it will not be chilled by the-a'irdirected into the glass interior. Therefore the stern of theglass will not be chilled and atmospheric air striking this-unchilled portion will not give up anywater vapor that will condense on the glass. l

'A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed in which novelmeans-is used for directing cold air into the reservoir formed by the flange and base,';this.'cold air keepingthe reservoir filled with the cold air and preventing the entrance of warmer atmospheric air into the open top reservoir.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel'features of the invention will be set forth in the appended claims,

Drawings For a better understanding of our invention, reference I should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specificatiomin whichz FIGURE 1 is an isometric view .of'the device;

' FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of the device with the top of the casing removed and a portion of the casing being cut away to illustrate certain parts;

FIGURE .3 is a top plan view of the casing with the FIGURE 4, is a, longitudinal vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, andshows the top of the device also in section; V

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of 'a modified form of easing, a part being broken away to showa removable drawer that can be filled;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal section taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 7, and shows a top plan view of the drawer;

' FIGURE 7 is a' front elevation of the modified form of casing when looking in the direction of the arrows, 77 in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a transverse section through the drawer and is taken along the line 38 of FIGURE 6.

While we have shown onlythe preferred forms of our invention, it should be understoodthat various changes, or

and secure the tubes to the cover.

modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description of the frame C, being removably received in corner spring brackets 2 and 3, see FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, that extend upwardly from the bottom 1; The rectangular frame C provides an inner compartment D. The top of the inner frame is closed by a removable cover E, which has a depending flange 4 extending around all four sides, see FIGURE 4.

The cover E has a plurality of holes for receiving a like number of vertically extending an tubes F. The tubes F have shoulders 5 for resting on the cover E and snap rings 6 are received in grooves provided in the tubes A closure G for the outer compartment B has'an insulating portion 7 that extends into the top of the compartment and this insulating portion is provided with aplurality of openings 8 for receiving the tubes F. The openings 8 are. larger in diameter than the outer diametersnofthe air tubes F. FIGURE 4 shows the upper. ends of the air tubes F and their associate openings 8 in the closure, G, covered by the inverted bowl portions 9 of drinking glasses H. The upper surfacelt) of the closure G, constitutes a supporting base for the rims of the inverted drinking glasses H. 7 7

A transparent four sided flange J extends upwardly from the base it) and is supported by the closure G. Both FIGURES 1 and 4 illustrate how the upper portions of,

the four sided flange J are bent to extend inwardly and. provide an opening 11 that is large enough to permit the inverted'drinking glasses to be placed on the base 10 to cover the openings 8 and tubes F, and to be removed therefrom after they have been chilled. A cold air retaining reservoir K is provided by the base 10 and the four walled transparent flange I. Chilled air is delivered through the tubes F as will be hereinafter described and air is drawn through the openings 8 and. into the outer.

opening for subsequent chilling. The air in the reservoir K 'will become chilled and prevent warmer atmospheric" air from entering the reservoir through the opening 11. The purpose for the chilled air in the reservoir will be pointed out hereinafter.

The inner compartment D has a refrigerating unit L of fins 12 and coils 13 placedtherein and substantially filling it. The fins 12 are arranged in a horizontal group that provide a plurality of horizontal passageways 14 for the air to travel therethrough. The refrigeration coils 13, extend through the passageways 14 for chilling the air that flows therethrough. The spaced horizontal fins 12 are welded to the coils 13. A temperature of forty degrees Farenheit below zero may be reached. The coils 13 are in communication with a pair of conduits 15 that in turn connect with a standard refrigerating unit indicated diagrammatically at M in FIGURE 4.

The left hand wall 16 of the inner compartment D has an opening 17, placing this compartmentin communication with the outer compartment B. A fan N is placed in the opening 17 and when operated by an electric motor P, will draw air'from the outer compartment B and will force it into the inner compartment D. A horizontal bafile Q is placed on top of the refrigerating unit L, see FIGURE 4, and it extends from side to side of the inner compartment D and contacts with the left hand wall 16. The right hand edge 18 of the baffie Q is spaced about an inch from the right hand wall 19 of the inner compartment D. The air from the fan N, must therefore flow through the horizontal passageways 14 to be chilled by the coils 13, and then the chilled air is forced upwardly past the right hand edge 18 of the baffle Q and then the air will enter the tubes F and will flow into the inverted bowls of drinking glasses H or into the reservoir K'. It will also be seen that the air in the outer compartment B will be drawn into the inner compartment D by the fan N, and therefore air will be drawn through the openings 8 to take the place of the air that has been forced into the inner compartment D. The air drawn through the openings 8 will be either from the interiors of the inverted bowls 9 of the drinking glasses H that are supported by the base 10, or it will be from the air reservoir K. chill the bowls 9 or will deliver chilled air into the reservoir K.

The Wall of the inner rectangular frame C is provided with a recess 19, .see FIGURE 2, extending upwardly from its lower edge. This recess permits any condensation from the refrigerating unit L when the refrigeration source M is cut off, to flow from the inner compartment D, into the outer compartment B. An electric cord 20 may be connected to any sourceof electric current. A

switch 21 can be closed and will connect the motor P to the current source. A pilot light 22 is in the same electric circuit and will be illuminated when the switch 21 is closed and the fan N operating. The same switch 21, when closed can connect the refrigeration source M to the current source so that the refrigerating unit L will start functioning. Water vapor in the air is deposited on the refrigerating coil grids 13 and will freeze. It is this frozen water vapor which will melt when the coils 13 defrost due to the turning oif of the switch. The water resulting from the defrosting will escape from the inner compartment D, through the recess 19; and into the outer compartment B. A drain pipe 23 leads from r the bottom of the outer compartment B, and any water in this compartment will flow out through thisdrain pipe.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the above description. When the switch 21 is closed, the re frigeration source M will cause the refrigerating unit L to lower in temperature. It is preferable that the unit L drop to a temperature from freezing which is 32 F., down to a temperature as low as 40 F. below Zero. The fan N will also operate and soon the air in the inner and outer compartments will be at a low enough temperature to chill the bowls 9 of the drinking glasses H. At the same time, the chilled air will be flowing from the refrigerating unit L, and will pass the right hand end of the baffle Q, see FIGURE 4, and will flow through the tubes F and will enter the air reservoir K. Also air from the reservoir will be drawn through the openings 8 and will enter the outer compartment B, to be recirculated by the fan N and chilled by-the refrigerating unit L. The air in the reservoir K will therefore be chilled.

The operator may now place one or more inverted drinking glasses over the openings 8 and associate tubes In either event the chilled air from the tubes F will F, up to the number provided by the device. The chilled air from the tubes F will strike the inner surfaces ofthe glass bowls 9 and will chill them. The air in the bowls will be drawn out through the openings 8 to hasten the process of chilling the glass bowls.

An important feature will be observed from FIGURE 4. The stems of the inverted drinking glasses extend above the opening 11 in the chilled air reservoir K. A person likes to hold a drinking glass stem that is not too cold. The stems are not subjected to chilled air from.

the tubes F nor chilled air in the reservoir K.

Another feature provided by the chilled air reservoir K is that the outside surfaces of the bowls 9 are subjected to chilled air in the reservoir while the inner surfaces of the bowls are being subjected to chilled air from the tubes F. If the outer surfaces of the bowls 9 were not subjected to chilled air, the warmer atmospheric air would contact these outer surfaces and would deposit water vapor on them which would condense and freeze on these surfaces due to the chilled glass walls. If the inverted drinking glasses remained in this position for any length of time, additional water vapor from the atmospheric air would be deposited on the outside surfaces of the glasses and would freeze thus building up a layer of objectionable frost on the glasses. 7 r

The chilled air in the reservoir K prevents all of this because the chilled air is about the same temperature as that issuing from the tubes F. Therefore there is no difference in air temperature applied to the interior of the bowls 9 as is applied to the exterior surfaces. There can be no deposit of water vapor on the outer surfaces of the glass bowls. The fan N could be reversed in its rotation so as to cause the air flow to reverse and with the same results.

In the modified form of the device illustrated in FIG- URES 5 to 8 inclusive, we show a different means for chilling the air. Instead of using the refrigerating unit L, we use Dry Ice and/or ice cubes indicated generally at R in FIGURE 5. A removable drawer S carries the Dry Ice and/or ice cubes and the drawer occupies about the same amount of space in the inner compartment as the refrigerating unit L occupies in the inner compartment D. Similar parts in the modified form to those shown in the form disclosed in FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive will be given like reference numerals and letters excepting that these numerals and letters will be primed.

The casing A has an outer compartment B and an inner compartment D.

can move. The casing A has an opening 26 in its front wall that registers with the opening 25 so that the drawer can slide through the latter opening for permitting inspection and the addition of Dry Ice or ice cubes. The drawer rides on runners 27, see FIGURES 7 and 8. A drawer pull 28 is attached to the front of the drawer S, and rubber snubbers 29 limit the inward movement of the drawer, see FIGURES 5 and 6.

The two side walls and the rear wall as well as the 7 bottom of the drawer S, are formed of screening material 30 so that air from thefan N, see FIGURE 6, can blow air from the outer to the inner compartment and cause the air to flow through the Dry Ice and/or icetcubes for chilling it. The portion of the drawer extending from the front casing wall to the front wall of the frame C when the drawer is in closed position, is filled with int The inner rectangular frame C has. an'opening 25 in one wall through which the drawer S the fins from end to end of the inner cmpartment.'

. a) 1 sulating material '31, see FIGURE: 8, so that the chilled air will be confined within the casing.

The baifle plate Q is supported by cleats 32 that space the plate just above the top of drawer S so 'that'the latter can be opened or closed Without interfering with the plate. The right hand edge 18 of the baflle plate Q, see FIGURE 5, is spaced from the adjacent wall of the inner compartment D so that air forced through the chilling medium R in the drawer S, will be forced upwardly past the edge 18 of the bafiie Q and be fed into the tubes F, one being shown in FIGURE 5.

The closure G is partially shown in FIGURE 5, as it forms a part of the modified form illustrated in this figure. Also the four walled flange 1 forms the top of the closure G and the surface or base has the openings 8 therein for permitting air to flow therethrough and the cover E, for

the inner compartment D has the tubes F extending through the openings 8 in the same manner as disclosed in the form of the device in FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive. These parts complete the modified form.

A switch 21 is mounted on the front of the casing A and closes an electric circuit through the electric cord 20 from-a source of electricity to the fan motor P, see FIGURE 6. A pilot-light 22' indicates when lighted that an electric current is flowing to the motor and the fan N is forcing air "through the air-chilling medium in the drawer S. It ice cubes are used, the water melting from these will flow out through the drain pipe 23'.

The operation of the modified form of the invention is just the same as that for the form disclosed in FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive. Therefore there need beno further description. 7

We claim:

1. A device of the type described comprising a horizontal base having a plurality of openings adapted to be covered by inverted drinking glasses placed on the base to enclose the openings; an air-conveying tube extending through each opening for delivering air into the inverted l glass interiors;'an inner air compartment with a top that supports the tubes, the tubes receiving air from the compartment and delivering it to the glass interiors; an outer.

v for chilling the air in the inner compartment; said fan blowing the air past the air-chilling means before the air enters the tubes; the outer wallsof the tubes being spaced from the rims of the openings in the base; said base openings communicating with the outer compartment; whereby an actuation of said fan will force chilled air through the tubes and against the. walls of the inverted glass interiors and will withdraw'air from the interiors of the glasses, this air flowing through the base openings and into the outer compartment and then'being moved by the. fan into the inner compartment where mean is forced through the air-chilling means and back through the tubes to complete the air circuit.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1; and in which said air-chilling means includes a refrigerating coil and fins placed in the inner compartment and, between the fan and the tubes; and a removable baffie associated it in communication with the outer one; a fan placed in the opening between the compartments for drawing airv from the outer one and into the inner one; a perforated drawer for holding Dry Ice and/or ice cubes and removably disposed in the inner compartment between the fan and the tubes; whereby the fan will force air through the Dry Ice and/or ice cubes for chilling the air and then the chilled air will flow through the tubes and into the glassinteriors; the outer walls of the tubes being spaced from the rims of the openings in the base; said base openings communicating with the outer compartment to form a path for the air to flow into the outer compartment and thence through the opening for the fan and into the inner compartment and then through the perforated drawer for chilling the air and then through the tubes and into the glass interiors.

4. In a device of the type described: a base having a plurality of openings adapted to be covered by the bowls of inverted drinkingglasses whose rims rest on the base and have diameters larger than the diameters of the openings; a closed cold air circuit including means for direcing cold air through the base openings and into the bowls and for withdrawing air from the bowls and through said base openings; air-cooling means for cooling the air in the circuit; means for causing the air in the closed air circuit to flow from the air-cooling means through said means for directing the cold air into the bowls for chilling them and for withdrawing the air from the interiors of the bowls and causing it to pass through the base openings and to return to said air-cooling means where the circuit is again repeated; and said drinking glass supporting base having an upwardly extending flange surrounding the openings in said base and cooperating with the base for forming a reservoir with an open top for retaining cold air that will contact with the outer surfaces of the drinking glass inverted bowls; the open top of said cold air reservoir permitting glasses to be removed from said base and other inverted glasses to be placed on the base so that their rims enclose base openings.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4: and in which said air-cooling means will lower the temperature with the'coil and fins forcausing the air to flow along 3. A device of the type described comprising a horizontal base having a plurality of openings therein adapted of the air in the closed cold air circuit to below freezing.

6. A receptacle cooling apparatus, comprising a housing, an upper horizontally disposed panel, a lower horizontally disposed panel defining a bottom and an intermediate compartment, ,means forming a passage connecting said bottom and intermediate compartments, cooling coils disposed in said bottom compartment, a plurality of receptacle stations on said upper panel, each station including a tube extending downwardly through the upper.

panel to said lower panel, and communicating with said bottom compartment, a port in said upper panel adjacent each of said tubes, and an air flow creating means causing air to flow from said bottom compartment upwardly through said tubes, downwardly through saidports into said intermediate compartment and thence through said passage into said bottom compartment.

7 7. A device of the type described comprising a b ase for supporting a plurality of drinking glasses in inverted of the glasses;said means withdrawing air from the glass to be covered by inverted drinking glasses placed on the base and enclosing the openings; an air-conveying tube interiors through the space provided 'by the base openings and exterior of the tubes and cooling the air and again 7 delivering it to the tubes for entrance into the glass interiors; whereby the inner walls of the glass interiors are chilled; said base being provided with an upstanding flange that encloses the bowl portions of the inverted glasses; the flange and base forming a reservoir with an open top that will receive cold air from any tube not covered by an inverted glass; the air in the reservoir being 7 withdrawn through the opening not covered by an inverted glass; whereby the air in the reservoir will be chilled and will contact the exterior surfaces of the portions of the inverted glasses supported by the base and will'tend to prevent atmospheric air at a higher temperature from contacting withltheseglass portions and giving up water vapor Which would condense on these portions;

the open top of the reservoir permitting any inverted glass to be lifted from the base Without interfering with the other glasses and also permitting inverted glasses to be placed on said base to enclose any uncovered openings in said base.

'0 l w 'Rferenc'es Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,314,317 3/43 'Walter 6262 2,739,455 3/56 Idzi 62390 2,749,715 6/56 Tice 62-458 3,000,195 9/61 Federighi 6264 EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner.

10 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Examiner. 

6. A RECEPTACLE COOLING APPARATUS, COMPRISING A HOUSING, AN UPPER HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED PANEL, A LOWER HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED PANEL DEFINING A BOTTOM AND AN INTERMEDIATE COMPARMENT, MEANS FORMING A PASSAGE CONNECTING SAID BOTTOM AND INTERMEDIATE COMPARTMENTS, COOLING COIL DISPOSED IN SAID BOTTOM COMPARTMENT, A PLURALITY OF RECEPTACLE STATIONS ON SAID UPPER PANEL, EACH STATION INCLUDING A TUBE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE UPPER PANEL TO SAID LOWER PANEL, AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BOTTOM COMPARTMENT, A PORT IN SAID UPPER PANEL ADJACENT EACH OF SAID TUBES, AND AN AIR FLOW CREATING MEANS CAUSING AIR TO FLOW FROM SAID BOTTOM COMPARTMENT UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID TUBES, DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID PORTS INTO SAID INTERMEDIATE COMPARTMENT AND THENCE THROUGH SAID PASSAGE INTO SAID BOTTOM COMPARTMENT. 